Recent ReInstall

[sevver]

I recently got to reinstall everything from scratch (again) on my laptop. The wife had used it through college and the kids (10 and 5) had used it for surfing kid stuff, so it was slighty messed up. It is a Dell 600m, a perfectly respectable computer IMHO, I have had excellent luck with it.
So to start off with, I used the Windows disk to reformat this time, and I am happy with the results. Usually I go the extra route of formatting with a Boot disk like DBAN (http://dban.sourceforge.net/) or even a Windows 98 (http://www.bootdisk.com/) start-up disk (fdisk). But seeing as how I did not have any spyware or virus', I figured why not give it a go...
Then I installed Windows XP Professional, afterwards I went ahead and installed all of the drivers for it off of the Dell disk. Starting with the Chipset, and then after that I don't bother with an order, I just install the rest. Once all of that is completed with all of the restarts and everything, I install Service Pack 2 from a CD (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=049c9dbe-3b8e-4f30-8245-9e368d3cdb5a&DisplayLang=en,) if you haven't done it already, get it on CD, what a waste of time downloading it every time is. Install that, and then go after the rest of the Windows Updates.
Now you have a fully updated computer, then you need to go to Grisoft (http://www.free.grisoft.com) and download AVG Antivirus. Install that and Update it. While I was there, I noticed that AVG has come out with a Spyware Utility, I love AVG so much, that I am going to give that a shot, so I installed and updated it. Next on the list is a firewall, you can go to MajorGeek and get Sygate Personal Firewall (http://majorgeeks.com/Sygate_Personal_Firewall_Free_d3356.html). Usually I also use Ad-Aware (http://www.lavasoft.com/products/ad-aware_se_personal.php) , but I have found myself not using it so much lately, so I left it out.
Microsoft Office 2003, what would we do without that? This was my next step in things, once installed, update that sucka. They have a Service Pack 2 out for it. All in the name of keeping things secure, Microsoft likes to leave out all of the doors and windows so that have something to work on later.
Update IE to the latest IE7 (http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/default.mspx?mg_ID=10010,) it has a cool look and feel to it, I am still a Firefox junkie though, which leads to Firefox 2.0 (http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/), which also was installed.
Just to list some of the other software that I put on here:
Microsoft Streets and Trips 2006 (I love this, especially with the GPS Locator)
Alcohol 120% http://www.majorgeeks.com/Alcohol_120_d2983.html
Nero 6 Ultra Edition
WinRAR http://download-winrar.com/index.asp?PID=2fa34305-34ef-4b96-b36c-72725863e667
Microsoft Money 2006
Adobe Photoshop CS2
Adobe Imageready CS2
Adobe Illustrator CS2
Adobe Photoshop Elements 4.0Then I had a chance to put all of the important stuff that I had backed up BACK into the My Documents Folder, and to organise it again. All of the Music, Pictures, Greys Anatomy Videos... Nothing like a tidy computer, it was a mess before, no folder organisation at all.

One thing that I do have to do, I need to go to Dell and update all of my Drivers, and possibly see if there is a BIOS update. I will have to get on that one right away here before everyone starts to use it.

All of this makes me want to start on the Desktop Computer, but the Laptop took about eight to ten hours, and I just don't have it in me.

[noonebutme]

Why not create a ghost image of your hard drive with Norton Ghost or Acronis TrueImage so that whenever you reinstall, all you have to do is re-use the ghost image and your computer is back to how it should be - Program-wise at least. Keep data on a seperate partition and that problem's solved as well :)

[sevver]

The reason why I don't Ghost is because I don't reinstall that often, and programs change, so it would ultimately end up making my job harder. I tend to not like to reinstall the same problems, I would much rather do it from scratch. But for a business situation, that is the best option, just not for my home computers. Ghosting just doesn't make sense to me. Keeping data on a separate partition does not solve anything. In the event of a drive failure, what did you solve? Back data up to another media, better yet twice, and take one off site if it is important.

[_sorrow_]

Yeah, i had to do all that recently too -- although, your software lineup is larger than mine, especially with Adobe stuff, because i don't do any audio / image / video editing, except for a project i recently helped a friend create. For the record, ended up using Adobe Premier Elements for that, and it came out great :D

My format was because i finally upgraded my laptop hard drive. It had a 30G 4,200 RPM drive in, which i upgraded to a 120G 5,100 RPM. Finally can have a dual-boot laptop with more than 3 programs installed on it at once haha ;)

[psych0toe]

yeah I'm next to tell you truth! I don't mind though I like doin it.

[noonebutme]

Keep data on a different drive - or use a RAID array to mirror the drives?

Im just saying random idea's that people keep telling me i should get around to doing for one reason or another - i personally just install programs as needed after a format as well.


*NoOneButMe shrugs (Is there a /me vBulletin plugin a la IRC's /me? cause that'd be awesome :P)

[sevver]

I don't really see a need for a RAID array in a personal computer, for a server yes, for a business with important data on it, for sure. Should that be the end? No Sir, data should still be backed up weekly, daily or whatever makes sense. I preach that, but don't do it, I should though... I back up before an format/install and that is it.

[noonebutme]

A raid array on a home computer would still be fun to have though .. and what more reason do you need other then that? :P